Brockville’s week-long celebration of inclusion and LGBTQ+ visibility returns June 1 to 6 with a flag raising, a downtown parade, and several community events led by the volunteer group Brockville Pride.
The week kicks off Monday with a flag raising ceremony behind City Hall. On Friday, the Brockville Public Library hosts a Pride Prom, while The Barley Mow on Parkedale Avenue holds a dance party and fashion show later that evening. Saturday’s main event is the Pride Parade, which starts at noon from Reynolds Park, travels down King Street through downtown, and ends at Hardy Park. A vendor fair runs from noon to 3 p.m. in Hardy Park, and an afterparty drag show wraps up the night back at The Barley Mow.
King Street will be closed to traffic from Bethune Street to Perth Street between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday to make way for the parade.
Nicole Croteau, chairperson of Brockville Pride, says the all-volunteer group focuses its energy on this single week each year. “Since Brockville Pride is entirely volunteer based, the organization has enough capacity for one week of events,” Croteau said. She stressed that the celebration carries deeper meaning, especially for young people. “For 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, especially in small towns, mental health challenges are amplified. In rural communities, they often face a lack of guardian support, limited adult representation, and very few resources.”
Participation has grown steadily since Brockville Pride began as a community walk in 2010. The 2024 event set records with 35 vendors and 25 parade entries, and more than 30 local organizations took part in the 2025 parade.
